Nautilus Minerals Inc.: State of PNG Pays $113M Into Escrow

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 9, 2014) -Nautilus Minerals Inc. (TSX:NUS)(OTCQX:NUSMF) (the "Company" or "Nautilus") announces that the Independent State of Papua New Guinea's (the "State") nominee for participation in the Company's Solwara 1 Project (the "Project") has today placed US$113,000,000 into escrow, representing the balance of the funding for the State nominee's 15% share of the capital required to complete the development phase of the Project up to first production.

On April 24, 2014, the Company announced it had resolved the dispute with the State and signed an Agreement (the "Agreement") with the State's nominee, Eda Kopa (Solwara) Limited ("Eda Kopa"), a subsidiary of Petromin PNG Holdings Limited, enabling the Project to move forward toward production (see Links section).

Mike Johnston, Nautilus' CEO, commented, "the fact that the State's nominee has placed the money into escrow well in advance of the 31 July deadline in the Agreement further demonstrates the support the State now has for the Project, as we continue to work together as partners in this new deep sea mining industry."

With the State's nominee, Eda Kopa, having paid into escrow the funds for its 15% interest in the Project up to first production, Nautilus must now secure the charter of a Production Support Vessel and secure for Eda Kopa, certain intellectual property rights within 6 months. The funds will be released to Nautilus on the satisfaction of both conditions.

The Company will now focus its attention on securing a suitable vessel arrangement and is continuing its discussions with potential vessel partners, while also undertaking a tender process with shipyards experienced in building offshore construction vessels.

Neither the TSX nor the OTCQX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Certain of the statements made in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the completion of the Agreement with the State. We have made numerous assumptions about such statements. Even though our management believes the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information by its nature involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Please refer to our most recently filed Annual Information Form in respect of material assumptions and risks related to the prospects of extracting minerals from the seafloor. With respect to the Agreement, the Company is assuming that the parties will satisfy the conditions of the Agreement, including securing a vessel arrangement by the end of the year, and that completion of the purchase of the State's 15% interest in the Project will occur. Risks related to the Agreement are that if the conditions are not met, it could impair the Company's relationship with the State and have a negative impact on the Company's ability to secure a vessel and develop the Project. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada.

About Nautilus Minerals Inc.

Nautilus is the first company to explore the ocean floor for polymetallic seafloor massive sulphide deposits. Nautilus was granted the first mining lease for such deposits at the prospect known as Solwara 1, in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, where it is aiming to produce copper, gold and silver. The company has also been granted its environmental permit for this site.

Nautilus also holds approximately 500,000 km2 of highly prospective exploration acreage in the western Pacific; in PNG, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga, as well as in international waters in the eastern Pacific.

A Canadian registered company, Nautilus is listed on the TSX:NUS stock exchange and OTCQX:NUSMF. Its corporate office is in Brisbane, Australia. Its major shareholders include MB Holding Company LLC, an Oman based group with interests in mining, oil & gas, which holds a 28.00% interest, Metalloinvest, the largest iron ore producer in Europe and the CIS, which has a 20.75% holding and global mining group Anglo American, which holds a 5.95% interest (each on a non-diluted basis, excluding loan shares outstanding under the Company's share loan plan).